Directed by Basil Dearden and written by Roger MacDougall, based on the book by Stephen Black, at the outbreak of war, Bob (Philip Friend) signs up to volunteer for the A.F.S. The organisation is overseen by professional firemen led by MacFarlane (Finlay Currie) and Ted Robins (James Mason), who despise Bob and his rag-tag colleagues that include Tommy (Tommy Trinder), a kennelman and Sam (Mervyn Johns), a petty dockside thief. MacFarlane and Ted set out to break the spirits of the A.F.S. boys and give them some proper discipline but can Bob and his cohort fight back?

When it comes to war films, especially ones made around and during wartime, you can tend to get the same stories time and again. So, it’s refreshing to occasionally find one that approaches things from a different angle. The Bells Go Down switches things up to firefighters instead of soldiers and politics, bringing things down to earth. It creates a tone that can be light-hearted but also manages to create a constant feel of dread. You can sense that despite the often jovial attitude of its ensemble, it can’t last forever when the country is at war.

Although, it does keep its heavier moments to a surprising minimum, they’re still just as effective but it means the story focuses more on its characters than conflict. It’s filled with a lot of personality and a nice touch of comedy. It’s a difficult thing to capture the danger and weight of war while holding onto charisma and a lighter energy but Roger MacDougall’s writing does it very well. Especially when backed by Basil Dearden’s direction, as he’s quite skilled at giving his atmosphere range, keeping it at a balance of not too heavy and not too light.

He gives us what feel like action sequences, there’s romance and there’s a lovely brotherhood to it. It doesn’t get too caught up in death and destruction despite the fact that those themes are directly related to the jobs of its leading lads. A group that are really enjoyable to watch, some lean more into the comedy, while others anchor the severity and danger. It’s a fantastic mix and there’s no-one stand out, each of them having something to bring to the table.

The Bells Go Down is helmed by a fantastic ensemble with plenty of familiar faces. It gives us a slightly different view of wartime and isn’t weighed down by the subject. It manages to keep a lightness, a comedy and yet can still hit a good emotional note when it wants to. There’s a really great group of characters at its heart, it has a strong warmth to it and adds a good vein of thrill to round out the film.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10

New 4K restoration releasing on Blu-ray, DVD & Digital from June 24 as part of Studiocanal’s Vintage Classics Collection